By the Numbers

Story by Troy Weiman

IOWA CITY, Iowa – Describing a five-month, 13-game college football season in just one word is often not the easiest task.

The 8-5 Iowa Hawkeyes may be the toughest team to define in 2017. The best I can do is call the season what it was.

2017 was imperfect.

There was plenty of good that happened for the Hawkeyes. Examples include the comeback victory in overtime at rival Iowa State and the resounding 55-24 victory over No. 3 Ohio State.

Of course, there were some low points, such as the 66 total yards effort at Wisconsin, and the senior day letdown versus Purdue.

2017 was imperfect.

The good included Josey Jewell cementing his legacy as one of the best Hawkeye linebackers to date, and Akrum Wadley jump-cutting his way into Hawkeye lore.

The bad included road loses to Michigan State and Northwestern in low scoring games, and the heartbreaker versus No. 4 Penn State on the game’s final play.

Flashes of greatness shined bright, but dark curtains of disappointment were also quick to close.

2017 was imperfect.

There was plenty to cheer about, and many reasons to be proud of the Hawkeye gridiron men. This season won’t go down as the greatest or most memorable in program history, but it certainly won’t be looked down on as a failure either.

Here are some of the numbers, team and individual, the Hawkeyes provided us in 2017, starting with something more important than football:

The Kinnick Wave

70,000+ fans wave to patients at Stead Family Children’s Hospital

Disney Spirit Award

Dubbed “Best New Tradition in Sports”

Head Coach Kirk Ferentz

143 career victories, ties Hayden Fry for most in program history

143 wins, fifth in Big Ten history

7-8 in bowl games since 2001, only Ohio State (8) has more in Big Ten

Akrum Wadley

3,904 career all-purpose yards, ninth program history

2, 872 career rush yards, fifth program history

35 career total touchdowns, tied second program history

28 career rush touchdowns, fourth program history

Iowa bowl record 171 kickoff return yards

Pinstripe Bowl MVP

Josey Jewell

Unanimous All-American selection

Butkus-Fitzgerald Big Ten Linebacker of the Year

Nagurski-Woodson Defensive Player of the Year

Jack Lambert Award

LOTT Impact Award

437 career tackles, fourth program history

136 tackles in 2017, career high and most since Pat Angerer in 2009 (145)